Long Life to You All
by cascadedkiwi
Summary: MC (Kiyuki) has a jarring nightmare and goes around to be assured it truly was just a dream.


_Kiyuki froze at the sight flashing before her eyes, one word repeating in her mind._

_No._

_Baba lay dead in the street, police lights flashing and sirens whirring in the rainy night._

_No._

_There was Ota. Gone in a pool of blood from his neck backstage at his latest press conference._

_No._

_Eisuke. Lifeless in the middle of a crowded IVC._

_No._

_Soryu. A corpse surrounded by laughing mobsters, Ryosuke crying and going mad in the distance._

_No._

_Mamoru. A bruised and bloodied pulp beside a struggling, screaming criminal. A fellow officer desperately trying to revive him to no avail._

_No._

_Luke. Gone. A virus contracted from a surgery that stole his life in mere minutes. Crumpled on the ground beside the operating table._

_No._

_Shuichi. Assassinated. Right in front of his apartment building. One clean shot from only the shooter knew where._

_No._

_Hikaru. Mangled. Tortured. Dead in a dark back alley in the middle of a concrete jungle. Alone._

_No._

_Even Maddy was no more. A silent body alone on the auction stage._

_"No. Please, no! This can't be..."_

_Kiyuki ran through the penthouse, throwing open door after door to find the same result. Every single room was empty. Every empty room flashed with the sight she had fled. She screamed their names at the top of her lungs, the silence that answered her sending her deeper and deeper into panic and despair. "Wake up! Wake up! Somebody please!"_

_...A flash. A sudden scene change._

_'How was everyone just going along their normal life?' Kiyuki wondered. Kenzaki and the rest of the staff conducted the morning meeting, everyone got their tasks and dispersed. The hotel ran as normal, but the penthouse was completely empty. Every suite was completely empty. They were just… gone. And everyone around her was just moving forward like it was no big deal. Not asking why. Heck, she didn't even remember any funerals being held. Time just… went by._

_"They're gone," repeated a merciless voice. "You're alone now. They're gone forever and you're all alone."_

Kiyuki's shriek rattled her dorm windows as she flew up out of bed, eyes wide and chest heaving. Blinking rapidly, her gaze darted around the room seeing nothing but splashes of red against the darkness surrounding her. A dream. The relief she should've been feeling was just beyond the reach of her trembling fingers.

Tossing away her blanket, Kiyuki stumbled out of bed. Absently, she pulled on a jacket as she padded her bare feet out of the staff dorms wandering her way into the hotel, into the elevator with the ride up to the 51st floor that she barely registered. Through the doors to the expectedly unlit penthouse lounge she walked, softly making her way up the staircase as quickly as she could.

Her feet took her to a certain door in the lineup and her fist rapped on the strong wood urgently, the images replaying in her head again. She saw the blood, the flashing lights, heard the screams and sirens... Her knocking turned light and frantic.

There was light ruffle and shuffling on the other side of the door that she didn't notice as the terror built up in her stomach again. The door opened to reveal a bare chest and she glanced up for only a moment before throwing her arms around the person standing there.

Her voice was a whisper. "Baba…"

"Did you run all the way here?" Though startled, Baba quickly recovered and gently returned her embrace, patting her back.

Kiyuki nodded, her voice shaking as she squeezed him tighter. "You're alive…" she whimpered, pressing herself into him.

"Yes, I am, Princess," Baba assured her, realizing her dilemma. "Alive and well, right here with you." He leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I promise."

She leaned back slightly to look up at him, focusing on his features one by one. His open brown eyes gazing back down at her sweetly, his lips curved into a little smile, his warm body, the strength of his arms around her, the steady rhythm of his heart beating in his chest.

Baba spoke again, keeping his voice low but clear. "Would you mind telling me what happened?"

She looked down and mumbled. "I dreamed everybody dead…"

"Oh, little lady…" Baba picked up one of her hands and pressed it against his chest. "I assure you we're all alive and well."

"I need to… to see the… the other guys…" Kiyuki looked up at him speaking in a small voice. "Can you come with me to go check? I… I need to be sure…" She looked away. "It felt so real… I was scared and alone… it felt so empty… you all were just… gone, forever… No one even questioned it…"

"Shh, shh, shh," Baba hushed her gently. "Of course I'll come with you." A hand on her back led her out the doorway as he pulled the door to behind them. "We'll check on all of them together, ok, Princess?"

Kiyuki nodded. "Thank you, Baba…"

Baba led Kiyuki down the hall. The first door they knocked on belonged to the Angelic Artist. Baba opened the door, knowing there was no way Ota was waking up to mere knocking on his door at this time of night. "Come on, Princess, it's ok."

Gingerly, Kiyuki followed Baba to the edge of the artist's bed. She jumped as the image of Ota bleeding out in her nightmare flashed over that of the blond curled up in his bed. She padded up to the side and crouched down, looking directly into his face. In the sparse light from the doorway she couldn't be sure if he was breathing but she was comforted by the fact that she saw no blood on the young man's pillow. "O-Ota?" She reached out to touch his shoulder, startled and relieved at the same time when he jerked away. "Ota!" She whisper-shouted with relief, blinking tears away as the blankets ruffled with Ota's adjustments.

Ota groaned and opened his eyes, squinting first at the light and then at the woman's face square in front of his. "Kor- Kiyuki? Wha- What the heck…? What are you doing in my face?"

Baba quickly explained. "Little lady had a nightmare so she's just getting her bearings before she goes back to sleep."

Ota shuffled back under his blanket with a groan and grumbled, "Well, as you can see, I'm perfectly fine, so you can politely let me go back to sleep now."

Kiyuki nodded shakily. "Yeah.. ok, thanks Ota…" She shuffled out of the room ahead of Baba who shook his head with a wry smile as he closed the door on his best friend.

Next up was Mamoru's room. Baba didn't even knock, opening the door and letting Kiyuki in first. Her heart was assured just by seeing how terribly he was sleeping. It made her giggle a bit to see him toss and turn, trying to decide what kind of starfish he wanted to be, apparently.

Baba smiled at the sound of her laughter. "You see he's ok?"

Kiyuki nodded. "I'm resisting tidying up in here, actually," she said, glancing around at the detective's usual mess. She tiptoed over and adjusted the blanket over Mamoru's shoulders as he'd seemed to settle for laying on his stomach with his head on his arms.

Baba's heart warmed at her thoughtfulness.

Kiyuki planted a light kiss to the detective's temple. "Sleep well, Mamo."

The next stop turned out to be Eisuke's suite. Baba wasn't too surprised to see light still shining under the doorframe and knocked gently. "Boss, it's me."

The door opened in short order, revealing a displeased Eisuke holding his tablet in one hand. "What's going on, Baba? It's 4 in the morning."

Baba motioned down and behind him with his chin to a slightly cowering Kiyuki. "She needed to see you."

Kiyuki looked up at him from behind the thief, never feeling more grateful to see those emotionless eyes and veiled expression. "Thank you… thank you…" She stared at Eisuke towering over her in his trademark purple dress shirt, brown hair full of life over his forehead, not matted together with- She shook her head desperately before looking up at him again.

Baba responded to Eisuke's second glance cooly. "She had a nightmare that all of us died so we're going around for her to see it was just a dream."

Eisuke nodded and patted her head, smirking lightly at the childish joy that lit up her face at the contact and the way she stepped out and rubbed her head into his hand like a little cat. "I'm right here, Kiyuki."

"Yeah," she breathed out a sigh of relief, lighting up both men with her innocent smile. "Thanks, Eisuke."

Onward they went until they got to a certain mobster's door. Baba knocked on it strongly, stepping back once he heard shuffling and footsteps. The door opened to reveal a simply clothed Soryu with his hair roughly shoved back out of his face, piercing eyes giving a chilling gaze out at the intruders.

Kiyuki immediately wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him as tightly as she could.

His guard dropped and Soryu looked to the thief for an explanation as he returned the short girl's hug.

Baba whispered, "Nightmare," to which he received a single nod of understanding.

"It's ok, Kiyuki." Soryu rubbed her back before hugging her again, lifting her up off the ground to earn a surprised squeal and laughter as she ran her fingers through his hair before he set her back down on the ground. "We're fine."

On to the doctor's room they treked. A light rap on the door revealed Luke sitting up reading a medical journal. He looked up, concern immediately coloring his pale face as he rushed over to her. "Sexy Bones! You look like you've had a terrible nightmare."

Kiyuki looked up, her relief of the Englishman being alive immediately overshadowed by concern for his state. "And you look like a zombie, Luke! When was the last time you slept?!"

"Sexy-"

"No, no, no. No protesting from you, Dr. Foster. You're going to bed right this instant. Come along." She pushed him further into the room then took his hand and led him to his bedroom.

"Under the covers with you, Luke. You can't help anyone if you're not taking care of yourself." She tucked him in and Baba couldn't help but smile at her fussiness. "Your health is important, too, Dr. Foster."

"But my journals-"

"I'll mark the page you stopped on and put them away neatly for you, don't worry." Kiyuki smoothed away the hair from his forehead, scrunching her eyebrows at the dark circles around his eyes. "Promise me you'll go to sleep, Luke. Please?"

"Only if you do the same, Sexy Bones." Luke smiled up in defeat. The tiny woman had them all wrapped around her pinkie fingers and he knew it. He reached out and touched her arm as she pulled away. "Thank you, Kiyuki."

She smiled. "Good night, Luke."

Further down the hall to Hikaru's room Kiyuki shuffled, hoping and praying he'd decided to sleep there this night. Hesitantly rapping on the door, Kiyuki jumped back into Baba's chest with a frightened squeal as the door opened right away.

Hikaru raised a teasing eyebrow at the sight he was greeted with. "You two on some late night rendezvous? I'm not into any crazy stuff like that one behind you, Kiyuki."

Baba made a face like he was hurt but didn't even attempt to hide his smile. "I'll thank you know that pretty lady knows I am a perfect gentleman who treats all ladies like the princesses that they are."

"Right, right." Hikaru looked down at the shrimpy woman. "What's got you up so late at night? Tryna find a place in the dark life? Trust me, you're better off where you are-"

Kiyuki grabbed his hands with her shaking ones, looking him all over. No bruises anywhere. His arms hung like normal arms should. He had all of his fingers. His face was unscarred.

Hikaru squeezed her hands back as he squinted in confusion.

Baba fulfilled his duty in a calming voice. "Kiyuki had a nightmare that we all died somehow so we're going around to reassure her it was just a dream."

"Ahh…" Hikaru nodded in understanding, immediately flashing back through his own memories of being plagued with the darkest of images in his subconscious as a child. He certainly wished he had been so fortunate as to have someone who cared enough about him to take the time to settle him back to sleep after such instances. He squeezed her hands separately before bringing them together to hold them in one of his, using his now free hand to pat her head. "I'm alive, Kiyuki. We're all ok, I promise." Hikaru gently pressed her head to his chest then kissed her lightly on the forehead, smiling as he felt her physically settle with brightness. "Rest assured. Who isn't up working is in bed sleeping."

"Even The Mad Hatter?" Kiyuki asked in a squeak of a voice.

Hikaru nodded. "Even Maddy. Cross my heart. I'd be the first to know if anything happened to him. He's right there in his wonderland snoozing away."

Kiyuki breathed out a sigh. "I really don't want anything bad to happen to any of you…" She hugged him lightly as she murmured this. "There's a culture that says dreaming of someone dying means that they'll live long. I hope that's especially true for all of you."

Baba pat Kiyuki's back as she released Hikaru from her embrace. "It's a nice thing to believe. We're honored to be so cared for by you."

Kiyuki smiled at Baba's words, teeth showing in a grin as Hikaru's red cheeks betrayed his silence in what she took as him agreeing with Baba's words.

The only one left to confirm now was Shuichi. Baba recalled that Hishikura had gone back to his apartment the day before for work. Kiyuki looked around for her phone before sighing. "I left it back in my room when I ran out…" she said with an anxious expression.

"No worries, my little dove." Baba took her by the hand. "We can use my phone." He led her back to his suite where she sat on the plush couch while he retrieved the mobile from his nightstand. He returned to the front room scrolling through his contacts. "There's Hishy!" he said brightly as he leaned on his elbows on the back of the couch next to where she had curled up around a cushion. _He'll definitely be grumpy being woken up at this hour. _Baba grinned in his head.

Ring, ring. Ring, Ring. Ring, Ri- Click.

"Someone better have died for you to be calling me at such an ungodly hour, Baba," came Shuichi's displeased voice down the line.

Baba smiled wryly. "We all did, Shu. In Kiyuki's dream."

"What? Baba-"

"Pretty lady had a nightmare so she needed to make sure it was all just a really bad dream. She's here with me now, actually."

"You called me about a-"

"I'm putting you on speaker so she can hear you."

Shuichi clamped his lips shut and let his irritation out with a deep sigh through his nose. He would deal with the thief tomorrow. For now, he needed to address the woman's concerns. "Kiyuki, I am alive and well and have a meeting in exactly 3 hours and 23 minutes so if you would please be assured, we can both return to our beds."

Kiyuki sniffed and nodded. "Yes, sir. Sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Hishikura."

Shuichi stiffened at her formality and let out another sigh. "It wasn't a major inconvenience, Kiyuki. I hope you are able to go back to sleep quickly knowing that your bad dream was only that."

Kiyuki grinned a little at the phone even though he couldn't see her. "Thank you. Good night. I hope your meeting goes well."

"Nothing to concern yourself with there, I assure you. I always complete my work without issue. Rest well."

With that the ambassador hung up.

"Aww, Hishy's such a sweetie when he's ready," Baba cooed with a big grin. "But who couldn't be sweet to you, little dove?" He bent over the couch to see her eyes. "Feeling better now?"

She nodded, hugging the pillow tighter. "For sure. Thanks so much, Baba. Sorry for keeping you up."

"Nothing to apologize for, my sweet lady." Baba stood up straight and put his hand to his chest. "Happy to be of service. Think you'll be able to go back to sleep ok now?"

She nodded again.

"Let me walk you back to your dorm," the dapper gentleman offered.

Kiyuki shook her head. "You don't have to. It's ok, really. I want to make sure you go to bed, too."

"Kiyu-"

"Please, Baba? For me? I promise I'm going right to sleep afterwards. It would really make me happy and settle my heart to see you comfortable in bed after all this."

Baba relented to make her happy. "Ok, little lady. Since you insist." With a smile, he allowed a happy Kiyuki to lead him to his bedroom and tuck him in bed, pulling the blankets up around him and kissing his cheek. "Good night, Baba. Thank you so much for helping me tonight."

"Good night, Kiyuki. Make sure you keep your promise and go straight to sleep, ok?"

"You have my word, good sir!" Kiyuki saluted playfully before leaving, closing the doors quietly behind her.

Eisuke was the first one down to the lounge the next morning, wanting to get an early start on the mountain of reviews he needed to look through for a morning meeting. A lump of fabric on the couch caught his attention. As he walked over to it, Soryu joined him in the room, instantly pulling his gun out.

"What is that?"

The two men circled the couch from either end only to find someone sleeping there. A small dark hand held the blanket up on the tiny shoulders and Soryu lowered his gun.

Ota was the one to call it out, shocking everyone that he was even awake this early. "Why is Koro sleeping on the couch?"

Hikaru shook his head as he joined the men looking down at the sleeping maid. "Maybe she decided to crash here instead of going all the way back to the dorms considering what time it was."

"It's a comfortable couch," came Mamoru's lazy voice as he joined the circle. "Can't blame the kid. Why was she up here, though?"

Luke answered as he bent down and checked her temperature with a light hand. "Sexy Bones had a terrible nightmare last night and Baba took her around to reassure her that we were all ok."

Mamoru scratched his head. "So that's what happened. I knew I wasn't hearing things."

Baba shook his head with a smile. "Poor Princess only made it to the couch?"

Ota spoke. "My guess is that she chose to stay up here close to us seeing as she had the sense of mind to get the blanket."

"There's still a while before her shift starts," Hikaru said, looking at his watch. "I say we leave her 'til then. She needs the sleep."

Luke nodded in agreement. "It would be a shame to wake her unnecessarily when she's sleeping so peacefully…"

Eisuke met none of the gazes shot in his direction, speaking offhandedly. "She won't be late to work either way."

Baba smiled. "Boss, just admit you'd give her the day off if she happens to oversleep."

Eisuke said nothing and sat down in an armchair, directing his attention to his tablet.

They all cared about this tiny maid in their own way, only a few of them would ever admit it out loud. Seeing her sleep so peacefully after the terror they had witnessed in her eyes was reassuring to them all.

~Cascadedkiwi~


End file.
